Improvement in rakes for reaping-machines



1. R. BYLER.- Harvester Rke.

Patented Nov. l27. 1860.

UNTTE STATES ATENE EETCEO JACOB EYLEE, OE SA'LISEUEY, LANCASTER COUNTY, ASSICNOE To Huu- SELE AND HUGH w. BLACK, OEv LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification forming part ol' Letters Patent No. 30.786. dated November 27, 1S60.

T0 all whom it may con/cern:

Beit known that l, JACOE ll.. BYLEN, of Salisbury township, in the county ot' Lancaster and State ol" Pennsylvania, have invented anew and improved combination for operating automaton raking attachments to reaping-machines,adaptedtolongplatforms,usedwhenthe cutting-bar and sicliles are near the front oi' the machine 5 and l1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot' the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ol this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a'perspective view of all its parts and application to theplatform A. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with the rake raised;

, Fig. 3, the same reversed, with the rake down on the platform. Fi g4 illustrates the change ot' position of the rake and its connections from the black to the red outlines when up and down. Fig. 5 shows the cranks and connections operating the rocker-shaft B2 and cross-head base S, more fully described as follows:

The frame U and uprights T support the horizontal and parallel guides F F, having eaclra groove on the inner side, in which the cross-headlike base S slides back and forward by means of the connecting-rod P and crank-arm Q, attached to the axle of the driving-wheel R. This base S supports an upright, B, having a top, W, in which and the said base L a vertical rocker-shaft, B2, has its bearings and receives motion by means of an independent crank-arm, O, .attached toits projecting lower end, the other en d of the arm O beingafxed to a connecting-rod, N, by means of `a pin, the other end of said rod Nbeing attached by a pin to the frame U, as shown. The crank and connecting rods, one attached to' the cross-head carrying the 'rocker-shaft with it in its motions back and forth, while the other, attached to the rocker-shafts, turns it partially alternately to the right and left, thereby giving it the necessary double motion for operating the rake over the long or elliptic platform. The upright rake head or support .l is connected with the rocker-shaft B2 by two parallel vibrating braces or arms, GI. These arms are bi iid at one end, embracing the rocker- Ashaft and .held by pins. The other ends enter slots in the upright rake-head J, and held in place by pins or pivots. Between these two arms ll there is a shifting-lever, I-I, iiXed in a slot and pivot to J, and having its other end widened, which passes through a slot in the rocker-shaft', inwhich it moves on a pin adapt` ed to the peculiar slot Shown by Fig. 6, for being held above when raised and displaced by the tripper. The upright J sustains the rake L with its brace M. The tripper D is suspended by a peg to the horizontal tripperarm C, which is pivoted at one end to an arm,

E, on the upright B. This tripper in its motions comes in contact with a raised (clipper) edge, f, on the top ofthe guide F, and pushes the arm c against the projecting end of the shifting-lever H, dislodgingv the catch, when the rake drops by its own weight or gravity.

The operation may be briey stated as follows, viz.: Vhen the rake is drawn back and has completed its sweep, it is brought in a line with the crank and rodOl?, on the shackle-pin of which there is a knuckle, Z, which comes in contact with a projection, K, on the innerend of the rake-head, and raises it up, thereby pushing the end ofthe shifting-lever H through the slot in the rocker-shaft and lodging it -in the upper nick of the widened slot, in which it is now held while the rake is being carried in its raised position forward, so that when brought to its proper position the tripper performs its office and the rake drops and sweeps over the platform, eifectually clearing it of its contents, to be again raised to repeat the operation by each revolution of the wheel B.

The mechanismis so contrived that no motion is lost, the raising and forward motion, as is also the dropping and raking motion, are simultaneous, and the sliding and turning .motion of the rocker-shaft is peculiarly adapted to a long or curvilinear sweep, so much desired when the cutting-bar is on the side in o front instead of the rear of the reaper, so objectionable for various reasons, in mowers es-A pecially. f l am aware that the vibrating parallel arms,

as Well as the turning motion of the Shaft and in combination with the cross-head base S, crank, are not new, nor do I claim such, inand independent crank-lever O, and connectdependently considered. ing-rod N, together with the grooved guides What I claim as my invention, and desire F F, and olippenrdge f, combined and arto .secure by Letters Patent is,- ranged substantially as set forth, for the pun l. The combined vertical and horizontal pose specified. tripper D C and arm E, in combination with the peculiarly slotted shifting-lever H, for Vitnesses: operating the up-and-down nloton of the rake. S. G. MUSSER,

2. VThe sliding and turning :rocker-shaft B2, l JACOB STAUFFER.

JACOB R. BYLER. 

